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National Node of the BCH
Capacity Building Activities, Projects and Opportunities
Record information and status
Record ID
311
Status
Published
Date of creation
2003-04-04 11:42 UTC (sarah.lukie@croplife.org)
Date of last update
2010-01-22 15:53 UTC (intern.ross.carroll@cbd.int)
Date of publication
2010-01-22 15:53 UTC (intern.ross.carroll@cbd.int)

This document is also available in the following languages:
General information
Title of the initiative
EN
Global Industry Coalition (GIC) projects: Biosafety Seminars and Workshops
Contact person
Ms. Sarah Lukie
Managing Director
Global Issues and Multilateral Affairs
Food & Agriculture, Biotechnology Industry Organization
1201 Maryland Avenue, S.W. Suite 900
Washington, DC
USA, 200024
Phone:1-202-312-9284
Fax:1-202-488-6303
Email:slukie@bio.org
Beneficiary country(ies)
  • Global
Type of initiative
Main target group(s) / beneficiaries
  • Target group: Developing countries
Start Date
1992-01-01
Ending date
1999-12-31
Donor(s) information
Agency(ies) or Organization(s) implementing or sponsoring the initiative (Additional Information)
  • Organization: The Global Industry Coalition (GIC)
  • Type of Organization: Industry
Budget information
EN
IDRC, CamBioTec, CFIA, Health Canada
USAID/ABSP, USDA, USDA/APHIS, EPA
SDC, SAREC, SEI, Netherlands Govt
OECD, UNIDO/UNEP
Rockefeller Foundation
AgrEvo Canada, Norvatis
Availability of funds for participants
Yes
Activity details
Description of the initiative
EN
Several workshops, seminars and Colloquia have been organised by various organisations in collaboration with, and in some instances with financial support from biotechnology companies. Examples include the following:

1. ISAAA Biosafety Workshop in Costa Rica; February 1992: Focused on "development of capacity for regulating field trials of transgenic crops, specifically the concurrent Mexican transgenic potato field trials". Involved 16 individuals (8 from Costa Rica and 8 from Mexico).

2. IICA/ISAAA Biosafety Workshop in Argentina; November 1992: Focused on the development of national capacity in regulating the field trials of transgenic crops and exploration of the possibility of regionalizing regulations and harmonizing approaches. It involved 5 individuals from each from Argentina, Bolivia , Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

3. ISAAA Biosafety Workshop in Indonesia; April 1994 for 5 days: Focused on development of capacity for regulating field trails of transgenic crops, and exploring the possibility of regionalizing regulations and harmonizing approaches. It involved a total of 3-6 individuals each from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam Asgrow Seeds, Novartis, Monsanto and Pioneer Hi-Bred International participated.

4. ISAAA/APHIS Biosafety Workshop in Kenya on Biotech Policy; March 1995 for 3 days: Focused on development of capacity in regulating field trials of transgenic crops. It involved approximately 8 individuals each from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. AgrEvo, Asgrow Seeds, Novartis, Monsanto and Pioneer Hi-Bred International were involved.

5. ISAAA/ICARDA Biosafety Workshop in Kenya; March 1995 for 2 days: Focused on the review of actual field trials and biosafety aspects of a transgenic sorghum, a crop of relevance to Africa. It involved approximately 8 individuals each from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. AgrEvo, Asgrow Seeds, Novartis, Monsanto and Pioneer Hi-Bred International were involved.

6. ISAAA Biosafety Workshop on development of a joint and harmonized field trial application of transgenic papayas; December 1998 for 4 days. It involved 1-2 biosafety committee regulators from each from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam and scientists from AARD, BIOTEC, Institute of Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Breeding, Kasetsart University, and MARDI. East West Seeds and Monsanto were involved.

7. ISAAA/KARI Workshop on Advances in Mosaic Streak Virus Disease Research in Eastern and Southern Africa; September 1999.

8. Biosafety Workshop in Egypt; January 26-27, 1994: Focused on creating awareness and strengthening the biosafety regulatory framework. Funded under the USAID-ABSP project.  Asgrow Seed Company, Calgene, ICI Seed Company, and Monsanto were involved

9. CamBioTec Seminar on Harmonization of Biosafety Regulations in Mexico; April 1997: Focused on training of Mexican regulatory officers and researchers on the need to harmonize biosafety regulations vis-à-vis NAFTA. BIOTECanada with AAFC; APHIS/USDA and UNAM.

10. CamBioTec Seminars on Biosafety in Agricultural and Agri-Food Biotechnology in Argentina; April 1997 and June 1997: Focused on training Argentinean regulatory officers and researchers. BIOTECanada, Foro Argentino de Biotecnologia and Biosidus (Argentina) were involved.

11. CamBioTec Workshop on "Introduction to Risk Assessment and Management: Elements for setting Policies in Environmental Health" in Chile; December 1997: Discussion focused on guidelines for establishing suitable policies and strategies in the risk assessment and management process.

12. Workshop on Transgenic Maize in Chile; September 1997: Focused on discussion of key regulatory issues regarding contained field trials and commercialization of imported transgenic maize in Chile. BIOTECanada and Chile National Association of Seed Producers were involved.

13. Latin America & Caribbean Region Biosafety Workshop; 10-13 May 1993: Focused on reviewing the status of biosafety guidelines and regulations in the region for testing and utilization of genetically engineered food crops and assisting participants in developing work plans and recommendations to begin building the necessary biosafety policies and guidelines in their respective countries. The following companies were involved: Agribiotecnologia de Costa Rica S.A., Asgrow Seed Company, ICI Seed Co., Genencor International Inc. and the Scientific Research Council. Collaborating agencies included: CRSP, Jamaican Agricultural Research Program, Michigan State University and USAID/ABSP.

14. ISNAR Biotechnology safety Service (IBS) Regional Policy Seminars on Planning, Priorities and Policies for Agricultural Biotechnology focused on strengthening the capacity of developing countries to plan and manage agricultural biotechnology; September 25-29, 1994; South East Asian countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam). It involved Norvatis-Thailand, Micro-Biomass Int. (Philippines)and Saigon Biotech Co. (Vietnam) April 23-27, 1995; East and Southern Africa countries (Ethiopia; Kenya; Mauritius; South Africa; Tanzania; Uganda; Zimbabwe) April 1996; North Africa and Middle East (Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey). October 6-10, 1996; Latin American countries (Argentina; Brazil; Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Mexico and Peru); jointly with CamBioTec.

15. REDBIO '98 Workshops on Biosafety and Commercialization of Agri-food Bioproducts for Latin American and Caribbean countries; June 1998: Focused on biosafety, public awareness, and commercialization of biotechnology innovations in plant agriculture. AgrEvo Canada and BIOTECanada were involved.

16. ASEAN Seminar on risk assessment and Public Awareness of Agricultural Products derived from Biotechnology; January 26-27, 1999. It focused on helping ASEAN Member Countries to better understand how to carry out risk assessments for agricultural products derived from biotechnology. It was offered in conjunction with a program to harmonize ASEAN biotechnology regulations within two years, under the ASEAN Task Force on the Harmonization of Regulations for Agricultural Products Derived from Biotechnology. AgrEvo, DuPont and Monsanto participated.

17. Biosafety Colloquium in Morocco; March 26, 1997: Focused on creating greater awareness and educating the scientists, senior administrators and policy makers on various issues of biosafety. It involved Asgrow, Domaine Agricole and was supported under the USAID-ABSP project.

18. International Colloquium on Bioethics: Language for better understanding; July 1999 for 3 days: Focused on the concept, multidisciplinary and cultural aspects of bioethics. It involved by BioAtlantech as well as African and South American countries.

19. Rendez-vous BioAtlantech 1999; July 1999 for 4 days: This Conference and technology transfer forum focused on the development of genomics and nutraceuticals in agriculture, aquaculture and forestry. It involved Argentina, Chile, Malaysia and Mexico.

National level activities
Development of national biosafety frameworks
Human-resources development
Information exchange & data management
Public awareness, education and participation
Technology transfer and transfer of know-how

Regional level activities
Coordination and harmonization of regulatory frameworks
Regional collaborative initiatives
Objective and main expected outcomes or lesson learned
EN
Objectives
To promote awareness and information sharing.
General thematic area(s)
  • Human resources capacity development and training
  • Information exchange and data management including participation in the Biosafety Clearing-House
Additional Information
Additional Information
EN
See a detailed list of other capacity-building initiatives supported by business and industry at the web link below:

http://www.iccwbo.org/home/environment_and_energy/roadmap/Roadmap_Annex.pdf